Imbolc New (Hare) Moon
A day spent mostly with the query letter, an odd ritual in the publishing business, one involved in the finding of an agent. This is the next step for Missing and for me with my business hat on. I found the division of creative work mentioned in something I read a while back (which I believe I mentioned here) into three parts useful.
First, of course, is the creative, the artist who produces the work shoving aside the internal critic and censor, actively advancing an idea until it attains an initial shape. Then comes the editor/the revisor who takes a manuscript and cuts out the not story, leaving only the flesh of the thing. No fat. Finally, there is the business person who takes the work after the editor/the revisor finishes with it and sees it finds its market, its place in the outer world.
The synopsis of Missing (1,500 words) is done. I’ve copied out the first five pages. These go in the query, but follow the query letter itself. The query letter opens with a hook, a compelling one sentence compression of the work. A one paragraph synopsis follows that and, finally, a paragraph about word length, writing credits, state of the manuscript, or proposal in publishing speak.
I have a draft of the query letter now. It will sit for a bit, cool down, then I’ll revise it. That’s what I did today for the synopsis. It’s time for me to get this part right and I’m doing it.
